13 Days: Day 9. Changes

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So this is actually a WIP. It came out of nowhere and I don't know where it's going but we'll see :D

It all changed when Chase showed up.

Even after he was gone - not that Caleb believed he was well and truly dead - the ripples of his presence didn't just go away. Caleb's relationship with Sarah grew more and more strained, until the day Kate broke up with Pogue because he'd been keeping secrets from her for so long. Secrets Sarah told her instead.

At first Caleb wanted to excuse Sarah, thinking maybe she wasn't aware Kate didn't know. But the more he thought about it, the more he knew he was being generous. He'd made it perfectly clear he needed her silence about the covenant. Now two people outside of it all knew and that was two too many.

Caleb knocked on Pogue's door, for the first time not too sure of what the reception would be like. He knew Pogue well enough to know he liked Kate a lot. It wasn't love, but it was closer than Pogue had been than with any of his previous girlfriends. What was worse though was the fact that this was Caleb's fault, or at least he saw it that way.

Pogue yanked open the door and stared at Caleb, his face giving away nothing. He stepped back and let his best friend inside and shut the door behind him. "Before you start apologizing Caleb, you'd better know what you're apologizing for," Pogue warned him, flopping back down on his bed where he'd been the last hour.

That brought Caleb up short. Pogue was always on his case about taking everything on, about guilt-tripping himself and taking blame where it wasn't due. So where was it due now?

Caleb frowned and sat on the end of Pogue's bed. "I'm sorry I told Sarah."

Pogue narrowed his eyes and exhaled. "So am I." He shook his head and added, "We all mess up, Caleb, but you sure picked a hell of a mistake to make. We're all lucky this wasn't worse."

"I shouldn't have told her, but I was sure enough of her that she wasn't going to scream it from the rooftops. I still think she only told Kate because she thought Kate knew. That's not an excuse, though. Neither of them should have known. No one outside of us should have known. Now we just need to figure out how to fix it."

Pogue actually smiled a little then. "Can you fix this one, Caleb?"

"I don't know. I've been thinking about it and there's really only one way I can think of, but I don't like it."

Brows furrowed, Pogue leaned forward. "How's that?"

"Memory modification."

Pogue sat back, stunned. Of all the things he expected Caleb to say, that was probably one of the last of the list. Not only was it the kind of intrusive, manipulating sort of power use Caleb shied away from, it was a delicate and powerful procedure. They'd need guidelines, and they'd need help from Reid and Tyler.

Caleb kept talking. "I don't want to do it, but- I thought Sarah would keep quiet and I was wrong. I don't think I'm wrong in thinking Kate won't either."

No, he was right, there, Pogue agreed. Kate was a gossip, and at first Pogue had thought it an amusing quality of hers, but now it was a danger to them. "All right, what do we do now?"

"You call Reid and Tyler. Tell them to meet at my place. We have some research to do."

—

"Reid, it's serious, okay?" Tyler's voice was concerned and for a moment, if it was huskier, Reid would have said he was starting to sound like Caleb.

"Come on baby boy! Caleb screwed up, big time. He's always on my case about every mistake I make and I can't enjoy that fact that he majorly fucked up?"

"Well, when it jeopardizes all of us, maybe you shouldn't." Tyler's voice was gentle but very firm, that combination that never failed to make Reid actually see reason.

Reid sat up and uncrossed his legs, taking them down off the desk he'd propped them up on. Instantly, his fingers, clothed as always in fingerless gloves, went to his mouth to tug at his lower lip. "Fine," he acquiesced. "I mean i get it. I know this is serious. I just can't believe Sarah couldn't keep her mouth shut. Kate's going to be even worse about it. How do we know she's not blabbing to everyone right now?"

"Because she's the kind of girl who plans. She'll hold onto this until she sees some way to benefit from it. She's sneaky and devious and that's why Pogue liked her." It's also why he wasn't serious about her, but Tyler was probably the only one of them who realized that. Pogue and Reid didn't spend too much time deciphering people's thoughts and feelings, and Caleb was sometimes was too oblivious about things like that.

Tyler however, the quiet one who frequently watched and listened more than he spoke, saw a lot more than everyone else. Like everything he saw in Reid, things he knew even Reid himself didn't see. He cleared his throat and got back to the matter at hand. "Anyway, we're safe right now, but we all need to do something about this and sooner rather than later."

As if on cue, his phone rang, buzzing at first and then playing the ringtone associated with Pogue. He picked it up immediately, and Reid leaned forward, trying to hear Pogue's side.

"Yeah he's here," Tyler replied to what must have been pogue asking if Reid was with him. "Okay, yeah we can meet you there. Does he have a plan?"

Reid rolled his eyes. Of course Caleb had a plan. Didn't he always? He muttered something under his breath but shut up when he saw the look Tyler gave him. Crossing his arms, Reid put his feet back up just in time to see Tyler's eyes go wide. "He wants to do what?"

Even Reid can hear Caleb in the background yelling Pogue's name in frustration. Whatever Pogue said, Caleb hadn't wanted him to, at least not over the phone. Ried sat forward and tugged at his lip again, blue eyes bright and curious. Tyler was still looking a little shell-shocked, but he wrapped up the call and locked his phone again.

"Well? What the hell was that all about?"

"Come on we have to go meet them at Caleb's." Tyler reached for his keys and coat.

"Not so fast, baby boy," Reid interjected. "First you tell me what Pogue and Caleb said."

Tyler hesitated, knowing full well the kind of reaction Reid would have. "He...wants to wipe their memories, all right? That's the plan so far."

Reid looked incredulous. "Pogue wants to do that? And Caleb will let him?"

Tyler shook his head. "No. Pogue's not the one who suggested it."